[0:00] All right. Hello everyone. Welcome to this belated February meeting of the

[0:06] agricultural commission commission. Today is Wednesday, February 18th.

[0:12] Uh this meeting is being recorded by the agricultural commission. If any other

[0:15] persons present are doing the same, you must notify the chairperson at this

[0:18] time. So at this time, I'd like to call this meeting to order.

[0:26] Um, super quick, super easy roll call at

[0:30] this point. Uh, Denise, are you here? >> That's debatable.

[0:35] » Are you here? >> I am here.

[0:36] » And Sid is here. Um, so we did just a couple minutes ago, Lou, if I don't know

[0:41] if you saw the email from Greg. >> Um, so he just a couple minutes ago

[0:45] emailed to let us know that he had to resign. So, okay, that is just the three

[0:49] of us. >> Wow.

[0:51] » We have a quorum. So, we can proceed.

[1:00] » Uh, as far as public comment goes, no discussion or comments will be

[1:03] entertained unless requested upon by the chairperson of the border committee.

[1:08] I've not requested any public comments. Um, Elizabeth Net mentioned that she

[1:13] might try to zoom in, so if she stops by, it'll be cool to see her. If not, so

[1:20] be it. Yeah, no one at the moment on Zoom.

[1:23] » Uh, review and approval of previous meeting minutes. So, these are the

[1:28] minutes for December 3rd, 2025. Um, can I get someone to read these,

[1:33] please? I can read them. Thank you.

[1:39] » Okay. Egg miss commission minutes from 123 532. Chairperson statement 532.

[1:46] Meeting call to order 533. Roll call of members. Um 533 also public comment. No

[1:54] public comment was entertained. 533 also review and approval of minutes for the

[2:00] 101 meeting. They were moved by Sid. Seconded by Liz. We all voted in favor.

[2:07] 535. There was a discussion of the noise ordinance research being undertaken by

[2:11] residents of precinct 7. Dates of upcoming noise ordinance meetings noted

[2:15] and plans were made to attend. Making sure that language of the noise

[2:19] ordinance respects farm work noise from the Greenfield city code. The right to

[2:24] farm is hereby recognized to exist within the city of Greenfield. The above

[2:27] described agricultural activities may occur on holidays, weekdays, and

[2:31] weekends by night or day and shall include the attendant incidental noise,

[2:35] odors, dust, and fumes associated with normally accepted agricultural

[2:39] practices. It is hereby determined that whatever impact may be caused to others

[2:43] through the normal practice of agriculture is more than offset by the

[2:46] benefits of farming to the neighborhood, community, and society in general. The

[2:50] benefits and protections of the chapter are intended to apply exclusively to

[2:54] those agricultural and farming operations and activities conducted in

[2:57] accordance with generally accepted agricultural practices. Moreover,

[3:01] nothing in this chapter shall be deemed as acquiring any interest in land or as

[3:04] imposing any land use regulation, which is properly the subject of state

[3:08] statute, regulation, or local zoning law. Nor is it intended hereby that the

[3:13] creation of an implementation of this chapter supersedes, replaces, modifies,

[3:17] alters, or changes any existing or future Greenfield city ordinance or

[3:21] zoning ordinance or state or federal law related to agricultural uses within

[3:26] Greenfield. 544. There was a discussion of the

[3:30] Greenfield Conservation Commission's request for a letter of support for

[3:33] their applications for the Community Preservation Act fund. Um, and we all

[3:38] voted in favor of that. 546 updates and planning for Greenfield Market Farmers

[3:44] Market appearance. We reached out to MDAR to request some farm swag. There

[3:48] was farm related zoning law handouts that we thought we could maybe get

[3:52] Copycat to donate a map of Greenfield to mark local a projects and um scheduling

[3:59] someone to man the booth during the markets. At just 559 we went back to the

[4:05] right to farm and noise ordinance. And then at 604 there was discussion of

[4:10] flyer distribution pending SID making of flyer. 605, uh, we filled in members who

[4:16] had been absent about ongoing grievances at Leiden Road in Greenfield Greenery.

[4:21] 612, we talked about the right to farm signs. 6:15, we ended the meeting.

[4:28] » Great. Uh, could I please get a motion to

[4:32] accept these minutes? >> Seconded.

[4:36] In favor? All in favor? I

[4:44] All right. So, for new business, before her resignation, Elizabeth Net um asked

[4:50] us to touch back on the new situation with animal control here in Greenfield.

[4:56] Um so, we have detailed instructions here for contacting animal control when

[5:00] you need them. So, the first and most important thing is that the Greenfield

[5:04] PD doesn't have an in-house animal control officer anymore. So, if we have

[5:08] an issue uh that we need help with, we have to contact the Franklin County

[5:11] Sheriff's Office. Uh this can be done over phone by calling 4137747340

[5:18] or we can email them at animal control fs fcso-mma.

[5:25] us. Um their website I have listed here for

[5:30] more information. Uh it's fcrard dogpanel.org.

[5:35] And uh for anyone who uh doesn't remember this or needs to

[5:40] refer back to it, all of this information is on the city of Greenfield

[5:43] website under departments animal control. So super easy to find. Um does

[5:49] anyone have any further thoughts on animal control?

[5:53] No. Um I know before the meeting we

[5:57] mentioned um that there were maybe some issues with whether or not the sheriff's

[6:01] office was available. uh like maybe they had too many things going on at once. So

[6:09] that might be something to keep an eye on. And I've I've called them and

[6:12] introduced us to them and said hit us up if you ever need anything.

[6:18] Um, so if we're happy with that, I will move on to point number two,

[6:24] um, which I wrote, uh, when we were going to have this meeting on the 4th,

[6:29] drafting of statement for submission during the February 12th public forum on

[6:33] the proposed noise ordinance for Greenfield. Um, my questions were, is

[6:39] drafted proposal available for public viewing yet, and who is planning on

[6:42] attending this meeting? Uh, answer to question A, uh, there's not one. this is

[6:47] fully like in research collection stage. Uh so I zoomed into this meeting.

[6:54] Um and it turned out that there was not like a public comment section. So you

[6:58] could like >> submit a statement anyway. Um it was

[7:01] like you would go to tables and collaborate with the other people at

[7:06] your table and then as your table you would submit to the board. So um but

[7:10] what I learned from zooming into the meeting is that um basically what

[7:13] they've done is uh these people from precinct 7 whose names escape me um just

[7:20] went through and they downloaded basically every noise noise ordinance

[7:24] for every city in Massachusetts and they've been going through and figuring

[7:28] out like how they overlap and what works for where and how does it interact with

[7:34] right to farm law and with event spaces and all of that. Um

[7:41] um so personally I'm I'm feeling very positive about how this is going to

[7:46] interact with our right to farm law. Um they specifically

[7:50] made the statement in the meeting that um the noise ordinance is not like a new

[7:55] law that's going to make things like not against the rules or anything anymore.

[8:00] It's just a way that they like basically they want to set a precedent so that uh

[8:05] as they do new things these they are thinking about doing it all to the same

[8:11] standard. Um makes sense. >> Yeah. And um like we saw in the minutes,

[8:17] I I pulled the right to farm code from the Greenfield city code. And it's very

[8:23] specific that like holidays, weekdays, weekends, night or day, the incidental

[8:29] noise is what it is. Um middle of the night.

[8:33] » Yeah. Yeah. So I'm I'm planning on keeping up to date with that. Um just in

[8:38] case anyone anything pops up that seems concerning. But um the

[8:44] » and these are just like citizens in precinct 7 that were doing that.

[8:47] » Yeah. Cool. >> Um so it was originally in response to

[8:51] noise from the fairgrounds, but the more that they did the research, the more

[8:54] that they were seeing that like noise ordinances, they address event spaces

[8:58] and they also address like normal business operation and traffic and loud

[9:03] engines and >> all kinds of things like that. Um they

[9:06] have brought it to um appointments and ordinances and the

[9:11] community relations committee commission.

[9:14] » That's correct. Community relations committee

[9:16] » committee. Yeah. >> Um just to kind of like give them the

[9:20] lowdown on what they're doing. And everybody on the community relations

[9:23] committee um including

[9:28] a couple city councilors and the mayor were like this sounds great. Let's keep

[9:33] going with the research. and then when we get to some kind of point where we

[9:38] feel happy with the research, we'll turn it over to appointments and ordinances

[9:41] and we can try to draft something. Um, but for the time being, it's very it's

[9:46] in the research phase. And the ladies in precinct 7 are like very specific like

[9:51] we don't want to sit here and tell anyone like what's best for the whole

[9:54] town, >> right?

[9:55] » So, um I I felt very optimistic after uh sitting in on that meeting. Um, but if

[10:01] anyone has other concerns, I would be happy to hear them. And obviously,

[10:06] not that I think we get like a huge viewership out in the world of green

[10:10] fields, but but that's the sort of thing that uh,

[10:15] you know, our neighbors could bring to us too, I think, if they were worried

[10:18] about. Um, anyone have any further thoughts on point two?

[10:29] M >> okay then I'm going to go ahead and move

[10:34] on to three um which is Elizabeth Net and now also

[10:41] Greg Kootwear.

[10:46] Um I will say this could not have been reasonably anticipated by the chair at

[10:50] the writing of this agenda because it happened just now.

[10:54] » Yeah. Um, so their resignation from the

[10:58] Agricultural Commission. Um, neither of them are here to say thank you to, but

[11:03] I'm very thankful for all all their hard work and service. I know Elizabeth Nut

[11:07] basically restarted this commission. Um, and Greg has been on it from almost the

[11:13] beginning, right? I know it was originally Elizabeth and Dave and

[11:18] » and me. >> And you? Yeah.

[11:20] » Okay. So, for a while. >> Yeah. Yes.

[11:23] » Yeah. Um, Elizabeth said that she was um

[11:30] she was um spending a lot more time working with her animal rights group

[11:34] » and so she was feel like it was eating into her

[11:37] » uh mental bandwidth and Greg was just uh elected president of the beekeeping

[11:42] association. >> Well, that's an issue.

[11:44] » Yeah. Um and he's just like super swamped with that.

[11:50] » How dare he? >> Yeah. Honestly, right.

[11:54] uh personal improvement, personal growth.

[11:58] Um so my I don't know how to go about this um because I don't think that the

[12:06] open seat that I filled was publicized pretty much at all.

[12:10] » No, I think for the most part I suggested to both of you that you

[12:16] » with uh Exactly. So, um I'm curious if we could have like the city of

[12:22] Greenfield post something on the Facebook page that we've got open

[12:26] chairs. >> I think we'll we'll be posting soon

[12:28] about all of the >> Okay, awesome.

[12:30] » various openings, right? >> Yeah.

[12:32] » Um on one hand, it would be nice to have,

[12:36] you know, more people farming. Yes. On this, but I also realize how busy they

[12:40] can be. Yeah. >> I can text my neighbor who's got a beef

[12:43] farm and ask if he's at all interested.

[12:49] But it's tough. >> Yeah.

[12:51] » Yeah. Um well, so obviously the city at large will see it when that larger post

[12:58] goes out. But I was also curious if we had like

[13:03] any ideas if we if we had anyone who we thought would be a good fit that we

[13:07] wanted to reach out and invite specifically if that's allowed.

[13:13] » It's my neighbor Brian Cleberg. >> Okay.

[13:15] » Farms. And so I'm I can reach out to him.

[13:18] » That would be awesome. >> Excuse me. I hate that word. I can

[13:20] contact him. No,

[13:23] » he definitely >> dates me because I can remember that

[13:27] AT&T commercial. Reach out and touch someone.

[13:29] » Oh my gosh, I had thought about it that in a minute.

[13:32] » Yeah. >> Um I think it would be really awesome if

[13:35] we could get someone involved with the farmers market.

[13:38] » Oh, that's a good idea. >> Or like the the Greenfield co-op or

[13:42] something like that. >> That's a very good idea. like someone

[13:45] from one of those. >> Yeah. Or like a

[13:50] if not a managing member than just someone who's like involved.

[13:54] » Whoever it is has to live in Greenfield. >> Yes.

[14:00] And they can't own land in Greenfield, right? They have to live in Greenfield

[14:04] as well. Is that correct?

[14:09] » All members shall be Greenfield residents whenever possible. members

[14:13] should be involved in farming in this community or have some background

[14:16] knowledge of agric agricultural pursuits in Greenfield.

[14:20] » Okay. >> Yeah. So, restorm on for a bit and he

[14:28] couldn't manage to make the meetings. >> Yeah.

[14:30] » Yeah. >> He was pretty busy

[14:32] » and he had a couple kids.

[14:36] » Yeah. I think um

[14:41] I don't know. I don't know.

[14:52] That's tough, huh? We could um do the the just make a note about the

[14:59] open chair and post it at the egg light, too.

[15:04] I don't I don't know us what the vetting process is like for

[15:11] new members or if we want. >> You just have to um

[15:16] » send them a letter saying you're interested in what you're

[15:19] » right. What it's really pretty straightforward.

[15:24] » What if we get like more than one person flying? Then we will rejoice.

[15:28] » That would be awesome. Yeah. Yeah. >> If we have two.

[15:32] » That's true. Yeah. And and it's up to but not limited to five members, right?

[15:37] » It's five. Yep. And the mayor will the mayor reviews any

[15:42] » Gotcha. Yeah. And then makes appointments.

[15:44] » Cool. Um

[15:48] Okay. So, if you can reach out to your

[15:53] neighbor, >> I will. With just a ping, that would be

[15:55] » Huh. Sorry. Sorry. If you can contact your neighbor.

[15:58] » Every once in a while, we text to each other. So,

[16:01] » he lets me know when he's going to shoot off his guns so that my dogs are not

[16:04] outside. >> Art.

[16:06] » Um, I can try to get in touch with um Greenfield's Market and see if anyone

[16:14] any of like their member owners or anything would be interested in joining.

[16:18] Um, maybe post a note there and I could post a note at Egway. Lou, would you be

[16:23] willing to try to reach out, try to contact

[16:28] um Sorry. um like the larger farmers market

[16:35] umbrella like oh the the vendors you mean or because I think a lot of aren't

[16:40] from green in the midst of >> Yeah that's what I'm thinking

[16:47] » market manager >> right

[16:49] » about looking at CISA you know people people who are affiliated with CISA

[16:55] » that's a good idea >> you can take a look at their I just

[17:00] Yes, I want and um I I want I almost want to get Hannah on. She's not going

[17:07] to be market managing, >> but but I think she lives in

[17:10] Northampton. That might be true.

[17:15] » Then look at the CISA website and see, you know, who is listed with them that

[17:19] lives field. >> That'd be cool. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So

[17:22] maybe instead of the Greenfield farmers market say CISA and in that case

[17:29] would you take either list of people on the uh Greenfield um

[17:37] Greenfield Cooperative Farmers Exchange. Do they have a list of people?

[17:40] » Kind of. It's not really kept up to date and I don't think it's exhaustive.

[17:45] » Yeah. >> Um but I think maybe posting something

[17:48] there is >> Yeah. Yeah.

[17:50] » Yeah. I think that's a good idea >> enough. Okay. Nothing.

[17:53] » All right. So then Denise, if you want to get in touch with

[17:59] Brian and >> I look at the CISA.

[18:02] » Yeah. >> Then I can just post a not Greenfield's

[18:05] Market and I I can't send out a list of Greenfield CISA members to them outside

[18:11] of the meeting. Is that correct? >> Um,

[18:13] » and if I had done my conflict of interest, I would know.

[18:17] » That's not conflict of interest. That's open meeting law. Um, so I would say if

[18:23] you want to work on this as a group, maybe think about two of you

[18:28] volunteering to work on it together and then you're free to talk about it as

[18:30] long as you don't a quorum >> outside of Okay, cool.

[18:33] » Yeah. >> All right.

[18:35] » Well, I will email one or the other of you.

[18:38] » Perfect. >> Okay.

[18:42] » Um, actually, it would be very helpful to me if the two of you could tackle

[18:45] that. Um because I'm working on some graphic design for the farmers market.

[18:49] Okay. >> For our stand.

[18:51] » Okay. Do I have your email address? >> You do have my Well, yeah. Yeah, because

[18:57] we've been on many emails together. >> Yeah, that's right.

[19:06] Okay.

[19:09] All right. I feel happy with that. Yep, I do. Is that right?

[19:16] Mhm. >> Okay.

[19:21] » Okay. >> And we're sharing on Friday, so I

[19:24] probably won't get to it until after that.

[19:26] » That's super fair.

[19:30] » I uh we have plenty of time to get someone applied and sworn in because

[19:34] » But I will I will text Brian at all. >> Who's cheering for you?

[19:39] » Aaron. >> Oh, nice.

[19:40] » Yeah, you're welcome to come if you're free. Okay, I'll think about I just I

[19:45] just did a shooting day on Sunday. >> With whom?

[19:50] » It was Vermont Shepard. >> Okay.

[19:54] » Yeah. With Kevin with Blades. >> Oh, yeah.

[19:57] » Oh, that's cool. >> He's fairly elderly now, isn't he?

[20:00] » Yeah. Still discussion of um Okay, next page. We are swinging into

[20:09] old business.

[20:12] Um, update on the right to prom signs. I have a real actual update on these

[20:17] actually. Um, so the sign on French King Highway near Gil Road has been approved

[20:24] by DPW and Glenn says it can be installed as soon as the ground thaws.

[20:29] » Never the way things are going. >> Yeah.

[20:32] So when I learned that, I reached out to Hail Signs and asked Sherry if they

[20:37] could print one of the signs and then I could deliver Dicklland's office right

[20:41] away in April to be like, "We're ready. Let's go."

[20:44] » Yeah. >> Um and then I realized that Jonathan was

[20:47] also communicating with Hail Signs separately in a separate email chain. So

[20:51] we have consolidated those email chains. All three signs are paid for and they're

[20:56] going to start working on printing and then DPW can come pick up the signs.

[21:03] » So, they're going to hold on to them. The two signs that are still waiting on

[21:08] Massachusetts do

[21:14] approval.

[21:17] Uh Ian Hodgegden with Greenfield DPW did respond to me. He said he is still

[21:23] working with DPW to complete our application for those locations. He says

[21:27] he still has work to do on that end and then also the state will just take some

[21:31] time. >> Okay.

[21:32] » So, still waiting on those, but I was really thankful to get like a concrete

[21:36] anything. Okay, >> good.

[21:39] » Um

[21:44] uh any further notes on the right to farm signs?

[21:49] Uh oh, I also asked for a proof on the right to prom because um you guys had

[21:53] decided on the sign uh before I joined the committee. Um and they just look

[21:58] like the old ones, the old one that we have and it's cute and it's clean and so

[22:02] awesome.

[22:06] So, our last piece of old business uh review setup for our educational

[22:12] booth at the Greenfield Winter Market on 37 2024.

[22:17] I can go there. Yeah. Um, so I am available to table for this.

[22:23] I'm planning on tableabling for this. I'm still planning on

[22:27] bringing like >> What time is it?

[22:30] » 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. >> I can come down for part of the time.

[22:33] » That'd be awesome. >> As long as there's somebody else there.

[22:37] » Yeah. >> Beautiful. And that's at the

[22:41] » at the library. >> Yep. Um, so the farmers market sets up

[22:47] by the one entrance for the library and then close to the kids section of the

[22:53] library like right at those doors is where we'll be set up um with like the

[22:57] other community >> um

[23:01] bodies. I just was talking to

[23:08] someone

[23:18] Pamela at the library and uh we'll be there with the community

[23:25] preservation commission.

[23:29] So fun.

[23:35] Um,

[23:38] so as far as what that setup is going to look like, um, Lou forward me some

[23:43] really great graphics from MDAR. Um, which I'm going to use and maybe do like

[23:50] a trifold board or just on the table, whatever I have room for. Um,

[23:57] and then this is going to go up on an easel on the table so everyone can see

[24:00] it from far away. And then I've got

[24:06] a little print out for each one of uh Greenfield zones zoning

[24:13] » okay >> districts

[24:15] um with all of the relevant state law and city law for how farming interacts

[24:23] in that zone. So the idea is you go you what you know you mark your favorite

[24:28] farm on the map and you figure out where your house is on the map and you see

[24:31] what zone you're in and then you can take your little handout for your zone

[24:35] and you can see what laws what you're allowed to do in your yard for farming.

[24:41] Um and I reached out to MDAR and they're sending us some like farm swag which

[24:45] should arrive here sometime this week. Next week. Nice. Um so that'll be what

[24:51] time do we need to be there to sign up? Nine. Nine. Okay.

[24:57] That's too bad. I won't be able to do my lesson that day.

[25:20] And is there parking around the library behind it? Right.

[25:24] It >> does tend to fill up.

[25:26] » Yeah. Okay.

[25:30] » One of the few lots in town.

[25:39] So that I mean that's pretty much everything I brought,

[25:44] but we'd be we'll end up half hour early unless anybody has anything they were

[25:49] thinking about or anything that I'd specifically like put on the agenda for

[25:52] next meeting or anything about the next meeting. Is it supposed to shot blanks?

[25:59] We're going to give you rounding. >> Right. You said you landing late. I

[26:04] remember. >> Yeah. Um,

[26:07] » and I got a list of when everybody's due. Not that that makes any

[26:11] has any relation to the real world. >> Um, and I do have the ability to check

[26:16] on them from afar. So, >> okay.

[26:18] » I need to. >> Well, in theory, we're supposed to meet

[26:24] April 1st. April fools.

[26:27] » Yes. >> Okay. Okay, I put it online.

[26:34] I guess whether or not we meet will be dependent on if we get a new member and

[26:40] whether or not we all can. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I should have made a list and

[26:46] looked at it about it. I mean, I have a list at home. Doesn't And there may be a

[26:51] bunch of them. I mean, the chances of them lamming at 5:30 on April 1st are

[26:57] pretty slim. I wouldn't stress about it yet.

[27:03] I've been um feeling a little bit like now that

[27:08] the signs are like out of our hands, we don't have really anything to talk about

[27:12] for our whole hour. So like

[27:17] I think uh when we do get to April, I'm going to try again to reach out to those

[27:22] two people with the grievances because the weather's going to start to warm up

[27:25] and maybe like smell issues are going to come back again. So they might talk a

[27:29] little bit about that. >> It's kind of tough marijuana smell to

[27:34] understanding. >> Yeah.

[27:39] » Yeah. Yeah.

[27:47] These are going to be great notes. You guys are going to love them.

[27:51] » Thank you for taking them seriously. Thank you.

[27:54] » I send them to you. So to sit, yeah, they have to be approved at the

[27:59] following meeting and then >> Okay.

[28:01] » Yeah. You can just drop them in that Google Drive, you know, make copies of

[28:06] what you're doing.

[28:16] » Good talk, guys. Yeah.

[28:26] Okay. All right. Uh, can I can uh So move.

[28:31] » Yeah. I'd like to request a movement to end the meeting.

[28:34] » So moved >> wonderfully. I wonderful. I second that.

[28:37] All in favor? >> I I Right.

[28:41] » Thank you.

Agricultural Commission February 18, 2026

Transcript